Steve McNair
retires from NFL after 13 seasons

Baltimore
Ravens quarterback Steve McNair announced his plans to retire
from the NFL to his teammates on Thursday before the launch of
coach John Harbaugh's first minicamp, making the retirement
official with a press conference later today. Always battling
injuries, the 2007 NFL season was especially frustrating for the
quarterback, falling a victim to a back and shoulder injuries,
which is the likely reason for his retirement. The injuries
forced Steve McNair to play in only six games during the 2007
NFL season for two touchdown passes, four interceptions and lost
seven fumbles, before he was placed on injured reserve in
December, ending his season and what turns out, his career with
the NFL. Steve McNair's retirement leaves the Baltimore Ravens
with two quarterbacks - Kyle Boller and Troy Smith, but rumor is
already circulating that Baltimore will seek a quarterback in
the NFL draft later this month.

Steve McNair played collegiate football
for Alcorn State University, one of the few institutions that
recruited McNair to play quarterback, while most other colleges
recruited McNair to play defensive back. McNair was drafted in
1995 as third pick by the Houston Oilers (later renamed
Tennessee Titans), backing up or sharing time with quarterbacks
Chris Chandler and Dave Krieg. Steve McNair remained with the
Oilers after the team relocated and changed name to the
Tennessee Titians in 1999 and played for the Titians until 2005.
Than in 2006 the Titans and Ravens worked out a deal to send
McNair to the Ravens for a 4th-round pick in the 2007 draft. On
June 8, McNair flew to Baltimore, passed a physical, and was
announced as the newest Ravens quarterback.